


Wildflowers

by turquoiseclara



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Brief one-sided Armin Arlert/Jean Kirstein, F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Genderfluid Armin, Growing Up, High School AU, Homophobia, Horseback Riding, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Minor Levi/Erwin Smith, Minor Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Minor Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover/Annie Leonhart, Minor Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer, Other, Romance, Suicide Attempt, Swearing, Transphobia, a few sexual references but nothing too bad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-09
Updated: 2014-09-08
Packaged: 2018-02-16 17:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2278188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turquoiseclara/pseuds/turquoiseclara
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin, Eren, and Mikasa met when they were kids through tough circumstances in Eren and Mikasa's family. The three become close friends practically siblings, and Armin realizes that he loves Eren more than he would love a friend or a brother. After five years of friendship, Eren and Mikasa are torn out of Armin's life when they are forced to move across the country. When Armin has finally settled into a decent with few but wonderful friends, Krista, Ymir, Connie, Sashsa, Jean, and Marco, who accept them for who they are, spending their summers riding horses and wandering throughout town, they receive a short message that will change their life, hopefully for the better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the very short and very vague prologue for what I'm hoping will be a fairly long multichapter fic.  
> Thank you Grace and Lexi for helping me come up with ideas and supporting my lame fic idea ily both so much <3  
> (In the beginning of the fic I am using he/him pronouns for Armin, and I will use she/her when Armin identifies as female, but in the summary I'm just using they/them if anyone was wondering about that uwu)
> 
> This is unedited, so if I made any spelling/grammar mistakes please do not be afraid to send me a message on here or on tumblr (my url is makiseekurisu)
> 
> The first chapter will be posted later tonight, in case anyone is wondering. I wrote this prologue a few days ago.

“My name is Armin Arlert! Grandfather said that you guys would be renting part of our house. It’s good to meet you!” Armin reached out to shake hands with the dark haired boy about his age in front of him.

“My name is Eren Jaeger, and this is my sister Mikasa. She’s not actually my sister though; she’s adopted. You can tell because she looks different from me!” Eren replied just as enthusiastically. The dark haired girl next to him just nodded. A red scarf was covering most of her face.

“Hello Mr. Arlert, it’s good to see you. It’s been such a long time!” Eren’s mother was obviously tired and stressed from driving two children halfway across the country all by herself. Her husband had gone off on a mysterious trip for work, and money was getting tight. But when it seemed as if all hope was lost, Carla Jaeger received a call from her hometown high school teacher saying that there was a decent job for her, and so after leaving a message to her husband she was off driving across the country with her son and adopted daughter. “Would you mind if I just went to my bedroom and took a nap? I’ve been driving all night.”

“That’s no problem. I’ll have the kids help bring your stuff in.  
*

“Eren, we only have two extra rooms so would mind sleeping in Armin’s room?”

The smile on Armin’s face and the way his sky blue eyes lit up would have been enough to revive an entire starving and wounded army.

“I think it would be fun sharing a room with Armin! It would be like having a sleepover every night!” Eren chirped. He looked at Armin and returned the smile. Mikasa scowled, obviously jealous that Eren was getting attention from someone other than her.

“You can have him… but if you make one wrong move I will cut you…” The dark haired girl murmured. She secretly did like Armin, she simply wasn’t used to sharing her brother.

“Do you guys want to go outside? There’s a really cool place that I want to show you!”

“Okay!” Eren agreed.

MIkasa nodded.

“Grandfather I’m going to show Eren and Mikasa the river!”

“Alright! Just be careful and be back before 5:00. You have you’re watch, right Armin?”

“Yep! We’ll be super careful crossing the street and everything!” 

With that, Armin dragged his friends out the door; clutching Mikasa’s wrist in one hand and Eren’s fingers in the other. They began walking down the steep hill that was Armin’s street, being careful to watch for cars like good eight year olds. Once a car stopped for them, the trio skipped across the road and down a hill to where there was a creek running through a patch of woods. Eren and Mikasa questioned Armin about his town. Armin questioned his two new friends about the city where they had grown up. 

When it did finally become close to five o’clock, the trio ran hand in hand back up the hill to Armin’s house to be sure to not disappoint Armin’s grandfather. Although they had just met, the kids already felt like family.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin learns that Eren is moving back to his town, Armin, Krista, and Ymir go for a trail ride and discuss romance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first chapter of this really lame fanfic. Sorry about the lack of Eremin interactions.  
> *whispers* soon.  
> There will be a lot of angst in this fic, but I just love my babies so much that there will be minimal conflict between Eren and Armin. As soon as they are reunited the romance will start very soon. Because this fic is 90% self indulgence and I need my babies happy and together.  
> Small warning for this chapter: Swearing and Ymir just being Ymir and making a few sexual references, but nothing too much for being rated teen, I hope.

Eight years later Armin Arlert received a text. He hadn’t received a text from the number in two years. He hadn’t talked to the boy in person in two years.

Mikasa and I are moving back from California! I can’t wait to see you again!

He hadn’t seen Eren Jaeger and his sister since he was 13. The three had been so close. But then Eren’s dad reappeared and his mom took a job across the country and their family was dissolved.

That’s great! I can’t wait to see you too!

Armin knew that as soon as Eren found out about him, their friendship would be gone. Just like that. I mean Armin had a few friends. Krista and her girlfriend Ymir, Sasha and Connie, Jean, Marco, and Annie, Bert, and Reiner didn’t hate him… but out of his high school of about 2,000 kids, they were only eight. Then there were the nameless, faceless bullies who locked the small boy in lockers and sneered at him when they passed in the hallways. Armin felt like he was in some really shitty reality T.V. show most of the time.

Eren and Mikasa had been great while they lasted, but they were only kids. They had lived together for a few months, then Eren and Mikasa had moved in next door. It was around when Armin was 12 that he liked Eren, in the way that most boys his age liked girls. But he ignored it and kept it hidden. But with Eren coming back and everyone knowing that Armin didn’t like girls, he was screwed.

Armin received another text. This time it wasn’t from Eren.

Me and ymir are going 4 a trail ride wanna come with us?

Krista’s family owned a stable just down the road from where Armin lived. The two became great friends in school, and because of how close Armin lived to the stables, Krista gave Armin riding lessons on occasion. Krista said that he had natural talent, but Armin’s grandfather couldn’t afford to pay for riding lessons for Armin.

Sure! I’ll be there in 10

Armin put on jeans, a pair of borrowed riding boots, and put his long hair in a little pony tail. 

‘I am such a fucking dork’ he thought to himself as he got onto his bike.

Within minutes he was at the stable. He walked into the barn where Ymir and Krista were waiting. 

“There are no lessons for a week but we’re allowed to go on trail rides,” Krista stated. “I’m gonna ride Rev of course and Ymir’s gonna ride Queen, who do you want?” 

“Obviously he wants to be riding Jean,” Ymir of course was not being helpful.

“I mean which horse! Ugh you’re so annoying!” Krista said.

“I don’t like Jean…” Armin murmered. “But anyway can I ride Quincy?”

“Yep! He really likes you, Armin.” Krista replied.

The three teenagers groomed and tacked up their horses and got going on their trail ride.

“So if you don’t like Jean,” Ymir said. “Who do you like?”

Armin’s face turned bright red.  
“No one really. I mean there was one boy, Eren, but we were thirteen. I haven’t talked to him in two years.

“We’ve been friends since we started high school! How am I just now hearing about your dreamy lover boy, Armin?”

“Ymir, you’re obviously flustering him. Cut it out!” Krista yelled at her girlfriend. 

“It’s fine, I just miss him a lot of the time. I feel stupid about it because we were so young. Besides, he’s probably turned into another homophobic, transphobic, dickhead just like most other kids our age.”

“Don’t say that!” Krista scolded. Thirteen isn’t that young. He liked you back then, as a friend at the least, he’s got to accept you for who you are now.”

Who you are now. Krista was one of the best people Armin knew. But he still felt so different. Armin felt like a boy sometimes and a girl at other times. He didn’t really feel sexual attraction, but felt romantically attracted to all genders. Armin kept quiet about the details of his identity, but people at school knew that he liked boys. And they knew that Armin seemed very different from them. And apparently different was unacceptable in the mind of the average high schooler.

A chipmunk scurried about throughout the underbrush, startling Queen. The huge dapple grey mare jumped and snorted at the tiny creature.

“Damn, Queen. I hope you realize that the chipmunk you just spooked at is approximately one hundredth of your size,” Ymir said.

“I’m surprised that Quincy didn’t freak out,” Armin said.

“It’s because he loves you!” Krista chirped.

Armin blushed once again. “Thanks, I guess. Quincy is my favorite of your horses, Krista.”

Krista smiled at him. “You can ride him whenever you want. And if Eren does ever move back to our town he can ride Glory. Because I’m sure that even if he claims to be completely straight he’ll still fall for you. And he’ll be the same boy who you loved when you were thirteen. You’re just so loveable, Armin. If I were bi or pan I would totally date you.”

“Hey!” Ymir yelped.

“But I only like girls so Ymir it is.” The blonde girl giggled.

Ymir sighed.

“Hey we can canter up here!” The freckled girl shouted.

“Hell yeah!” Said Krista.

Armin laughed and squeezed Quincy’s sides with his legs, having him step into a quick trot. Within a few strides, all three horses had started cantering, their riders laughing cheerfully.

“Our trail rides are so much fun. We should go out together at least once a week this summer.” Ymir said.

“It’s not like I have anything better to do,” said Armin.

“How could I resist my girlfriend’s wishes? And after all, this is my farm,” Krista said.

When the trio got to a small bridge, they asked their horses to walk. Queen went over the bridge without a second thought, Rev put her head down and snorted at it, and Quincy almost refused to cross it altogether. Armin had to dismount and lead Quincy over it from the ground.

“This fucking horse,” Armin said, exasperated. 

“I thought you loved him.” The sass in Ymir’s voice was unmistakable. 

“I do, but he’s a dick sometimes.”

“Anyway, we can trot up here!” Krista changed the subject preventing a half-hearted argument between her best friend and her girlfriend.

They trotted until they reached a fairly steep hill; which they had to walk down. Shortly afterwards, the three teenagers arrived at a field covered in wildflowers.

“Wow. It’s so gorgeous up here,” Said Armin.

“Stop being such a girl,” Ymir said, jokingly.

“Sorry but you’ll have to wait until another day.” Ymir’s comment could have been taken the wrong way, but Armin knew her well enough to know that she truly cared for Armin and would stand up for him if anyone besides her teased him.

“You and your dreamy lover boy should ride up here together sometime if he were to come back. It’s the perfect romantic cliché date idea for you. You could even make flower crowns.”

“Honestly, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea to me. I would look really cute in a flower crown, and maybe a crème colored sundress. Although that would be hard to ride in.”

“It might make riding a horse harder but it would make riding his dick a lot easier, just sayin’. There’s a lot less undressing to do.”

“Like you would know!” Armin’s face was getting redder by the second.

“Hey, I’m an educated girl. Just because I don’t like dick doesn’t mean that I don’t know how to undress someone.”

Krista leaned down on her pony’s neck, hiding her face.

“Don’t tell me you two…”

“Hey. We’re in an established, healthy relationship. These things are acceptable.” Krista was obviously extremely flustered but tried to play confident. Armin just laughed.

“C’mon guys let’s gallop!” Armin said. They were now in an open field surrounded by forest on one side and a corn field on the other. Their horses tossed their heads, and as soon as they were given a bit of leg they were off at a gallop. It was so exhilarating, galloping through an open field. There was a fallen log in the horses’ path, all three animals jumped it without a second thought. Armin loved jumping. It was like flying. Of course he wanted to gallop through this beautiful field with the dark haired boy of his childhood. Armin didn’t believe in any gods, but he was praying that Eren Jaeger was returning.


End file.
